The Daily Commuter Cup
Welcome to the daily commuter cup, happening on city streets wherever you find yourself riding to work. But first a question, what do you call it when two guys go for a bike ride? A race. Yes, many of us are predisposed to turning what should be a social ride or commute into a race. So why not have a bit of fun on the ride to work. Here's my collection of experiences over the past 18 months on my daily commute to Melbourne's CBD and St Kilda Rd. Riding down Wellington Street, Collingwood some mornings is like a live version of the video game Frogger (if you are too young to know, go and ask someone over 45).
My morning commuter cup kicks off on the corner of Alexandra Parade and Wellington Street in Clifton Hill, with an eclectic array of participants.
The E-Bike rider. Usually dressed in smart business attire, knowing they won't have to break a sweat climbing Col du Victoria Parade.
The Scooter rider. Typified by the millennials amongst us who find the use of a helmet an optional extra, often despite one being attached to their scooter. With their instant power, they will take off quickly, only to be limited by the speed of their steed to 25 km/h, if it hasn't been removed.
Cargo bike rider. These modern replacements for the second car, usually have a couple of spare seats after mum or dad have done the school or childcare drop off on the way to work. Boosted by battery power, they will have no issues on the inner city bergs of Melbourne, but their speed limiting means they won't be breaking any Strava KoM records on the way to work.
10 speed racer. The chosen bike of the uni student, who looks like they picked up a bargain from CEREs in Brunswick or it was handed down to them from their dad.
Amsterdam bike rider. These well travelled individuals once worked in the Netherlands or at least fantasised about it and fell in love with commuting on some of the safest cycling paths in the world in the most stylish manner.
SelfrighteousCyclist. The guy in his fifties, who wears five year old kit, riding his 33 year old steel framed 14 speed. He completes the look with his faded 15 year old Crumpler bag across his back as homage to the great Melbourne company that took a bag once used by bike couriers and put it into the mainstream.
Boy racer. The guy who rides his $15k carbon fibre bike to work, with his suit rolled up in a bag on his back, whilst wearing the exclusive PAS Normal kit. This is the commuter version of a sportscar and racing suit.
Gravelista. The dude with the bags hanging off his titanium framed gravel bike, carrying his burrito to work in a specially designed bag. Don't know why they can't put it in a lunch bag like the rest of us.
Inner city hipster on single speed. Dressed head to toe in black, true to Melbourne style. Maybe a sticker or two on the frame and a few playing cards or Melburn Roobaix cards stuck in the spokes. Never wears gloves in winter, because that would be against unwritten fixie rules.
Gravelsista. The dudette, usually dressed in high end kit such as MAAP or Pedla, carrying a backpack and looks as cool as she is serious.
Food delivery rider. The guy just doing an honest morning's work delivering food to people who are too busy or too lazy to get out of the house or office to source their next meal. Will often be found spending more time looking at their screen for directions, than where they are actually going.
Recumbent rider. Usually a gnarly old bloke whose back has given way and no longer has the core stability to ride in an upright position.
Mountain bike man Our fat tyred friend often replete with baggy shorts and a t shirt, with a back pack stolen from their ten year old brother.
The field is assembled two abreast on the grid, waiting for the green light. The only order is that which reflects who has been waiting the longest and the occasional rider who will ride themselves to the front of the grid because they think they have the legs to show everyone how to make it to Victoria Parade first, not that it’s a race. Who am I kidding? This is a race!
The lights turn green and we are away. Click go the shoes, flick go the gears and whir goes the power assist of those with some e-power behind them. The commuter peloton assumes it’s natural order. The bigger and heavier bikes by virtue of their size don’t trouble Wellington Street's 30m/h speed limit. Everyone else has different ideas By the time we reach Johnson street, the grid order assumes the order of a F1 race post qualifying rounds. Fixie dude is holding a track stand ready to snap at the change of lights.
A little further down cars are entering and exiting the many side streets that cross Wellington street, sometimes half in and half out and drivers sometimes half asleep to the fact that those riders who passed them a couple of hundred meters ago might just be about to be riding through with right of way. Oh, that's right, they were looking at their phones whilst parked at the intersection and were too busy to notice us.
The pedestrian lights outside the flats are under the control of a crossing supervisor, who safely chorales parents and kids safely across the street on their way to school. The cyclists obediently stop while the scooter rider and food delivery rider sail on through. Never mind, we will catch them at the next set of lights, that is if they have bothered to stop.
Tradies and delivery drivers alight from their vehicles, often half aware of their surroundings. The chime of a bell or a hearty yell is usually enough to get their attention. The worst though are the pedestrians, who traverse this street head down with coffee in one hand and phone in the other, completely unaware they are in the game. Meanwhile, a tradie on the footpath with a ladder on his shoulder turns towards the street and narrowly misses decapitating me in a scenario straight out of a video game.
Meanwhile mountain bike man has ridden his baggy butt off to get to Victoria Parade first. The gravel bike riders look like they don’t care, because beating other people is clearly not in the "spirit of gravel". The selfrighteouscyclist never one to waste an opportunity has used the 2km trek down Wellington Street for a few sets of high cadence, zone 2 intervals and kept the boy racer in check by drafting in his slipstream.
Whilst Mountain bike man, might have been the first to Victoria Parade, the winner is us, the cyclists and the environment. Cycling to work daily offers remarkable health advantages compared to other commuting methods. Here are some benefits:
Cardiovascular Health: Regular cycling improves heart health, boosts cardiovascular endurance, and reduces the risk of heart disease. Studies show that cycling for at least one hour per week is associated with a 9% reduction in all-cause mortality.
Weight Management: Cycling aids in weight loss and enhances body composition. It burns calories, contributing to weight loss when combined with a reasonable calorie deficit. Road cyclists tend to have lower body fat and better health markers.
Reduced Stress and Improved Mental Health: Cycling reduces stress and helps fight depression. The physical activity and fresh air positively impact mental well-being.
Longevity: Cycling to work is associated with a 41% lower risk of overall mortality compared to car or public transport commuting. It also reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Environmental Benefits: Choosing greener commuting methods, like cycling, reduces pollution and benefits everyone. For more info follow this link to a 2011 Vic Health paper.
Yes there are uneven surfaces, hydrant covers, moving obstacles in the form of delivery drivers, tradies, pedestrians and cars, but I wouldn't trade it for the alternative of a car, train or tram trip, unless I absolutely had to. This week on my 2.1km journey from Queens Parade Clifton Hill to Victoria Parade, I passed 63 cars and trucks. Line them up together, that's about 350 metres of traffic.
Let's break downa week of cycle commuting against the alternatives.
Public transport Myki cost per day $10.60 or $53/week.According to Parkopedia, the cheapest parking option within 5 minutes walk of my office is $20 a day or $100/wk, plus the CO2 emmissions, car running costs and extra time commuting. Not to mention the frustration of being stuck in traffic and being passed by all those cyclists.
I don’t normally record my commutes on Strava, but I had a feel good moment of the day when I changed the ride type on Strava to Commute. It told me I saved 1.8kg of CO2 for a oneway trip for 8.2km. That’s 14.4kg for the week. 🎉#commutingcounts.
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